Geese and Ducks

Big Ears is home to 25 geese and 35 ducks.

Both geese and ducks are used for foie gras. Foie Gras is a French word for “fatty liver”. Ducks and geese are force fed a grain mash with a tube pushed into their throats. The idea is to make the liver expand in size, abnormally so, and causing much pain to the bird. The bird is then killed so that people can eat a fatty liver. Sounds barbaric and some EU countries agree and have banned foie gras.

Unfortunately licences are still issued to hunters to shoot wild ducks at certain times of the year in Tasmania. Shot birds are often wounded and while able to fly to safety, end up suffering slow and painful deaths.

(See AACT on our Links page for info on Tas duck shooting)

Our oldest duck is Daffy and he is is sight impaired in one eye. We also have a special needs duck that is disabled after being deliberately hit by a car.